I was raised by a farmer and drainage contractor in a town of 600 people in rural Illinois. My picture window view from my home was a field. We were by necessity close to the land. The passing of the seasons marked our lives. It was this upbringing that taught me a reverence of the land.

Now as an adult and a Vitki I find the land and the seasons and all of that stil have special meaning for me. Although I’ve lived all my adult life in urban areas I have not lost my love of piles of dirt.

What does this have to do with the Vitki? For me doing any kind of magical workings involves the Elements. I use the land for grounding. I use the air for freedom. I use water for cleansing. I use fire to send magic out into the multiverse. Everything for me starts with the Elements. Living close to the land puts me in contact with those Elements.

Lucky for me I live only a mile away from a huge forest preserve. I go there frequently to get in touch with nature. This serves as a bridge between realities. The ordinary consciousness of mundane concerns and the relative freedom of trance work.

Whenever possible I use nature to flesh out my trance work. I find it very easy to go into trance if I focus on the sounds of the wind. The sound of running water also offers an easy way to get into trance.

Even rune readings take on a new dimension when done outdoors. You can easily remain grounded when your feet are actually on dirt! A sense of grounding that is this strong makes for powerful rune readings.

Try it yourself. Try to get outdoors to practice your craft. Take a vacation somewhere in nature. Drive to a forest preserve. Find a farm and go out in the fields. These are all simple ways to get in touch with the land. Do it. And see how your practices bloom!

In this day and age it’s easier than ever to access the runes. There are blogs and apps and websites galore on the subject. Information is everywhere. This is a good thing. You can learn a lot in a short time. But there are dangers.

You need to make sure the sources you’re getting information from are reputable. It’s true that anyone can put anything out there. And while other people’s insight can be useful it’s not a replacement for your own knowledge. Take everything with a grain of salt. It’s always best to add to the knowledge you get with your own hard work.

I recommend doing some research first. Find out what others have to say on the subject of Runes. Then time for some meditation and hopefully trance work to solidify your impressions. You may find similar results to what you read. Or you may find other totally new dimensions.

So by all means use the technology we have at our fingertips. But back it up with some good old fashioned personal work as well. That to me is the best way to get to know the Runes and all of their mysteries.

As Vitkis it falls upon us to live our lives as if we were busy writing new lore. Big dreams. Epic magic. Eye popping stories. The stuff that ends up being told for generations after we have made the journey to a different plane. The stuff of lore.

How do we do this? How can we possibly maintain such a high standard for ourselves? By making sure that each action we take and every choice we make is the stuff of lore. We can truly live such a life if we only take a bit of time to consider each move we make. This is the path to living a life of lore.

Take our magic. We can make sure that every act of magic we do is told to those we trust with the knowledge. Friends. Family. Trusted peers. By allowing others a glimpse into our magical workings we can rest assured that our actions will be retold. And that includes everything from a simple candle sending to an all out ritual with drums and incense and everything. We can make others aware of how we write and rewrite our lives through magic. No greater story could be told. No more honorable way to be remembered.

Act with great bravery. Bravery makes great lore material. Bravery in magic is to do and create what others deemed was impossible. I’m sure we all have stories from our lives of magic we ourselves even doubted would work. Yet we went through the actions and received the benefits. And created an aura of bravery. Bravery in the face of doubt and self doubt. Bravery to do whatever needed to be done. Even magic.

So live a life of lore. Write each day as if you were writing history. Do your magic with a strong sense of purpose. And you will find yourself part of the lore of tomorrow.

As a Vitki it is my duty to behave and act in an ethical manner. It is the least I can do as a spiritual person. I truly believe that words have power. And so I try to make sure my words will have a positive impact on the multiverse. Unfortunately this is not the case for all of those claiming to be on this path.

In our internet based faith, it is all too easy to let your words become negative and divisive. And unfortunately everyone has access to a computer. There are plenty of trolls on the web looking to start a war of words. I choose not to engage with such people. I find if I don’t give them specific ammunition they simply can’t shoot. And ultimately they simply fade away. This is the best that we can hope for.

But in the process of all the post and blog ranting a very real amount of damage can be done. People take the words of others to heart and form opinions. And then post about those opinions. So is the way that a character is slurred. The damage of these slurs is real and sometimes profound. It can impact a person’s standing and even their livelihood. If a group of people form opinions of someone without really knowing them or interacting with them these character assasinations can become a tidal wave. I think of them as a wave of hate. For me hate never wins. I choose to operate from a positive place. Yet there are others who find satisfaction in destroying folk they truly don’t know.

I have seen this wave of hatred in action. Especially of late. It never ceases to amaze me that there are people who take pleasure out of such behavior.

What can an ethical Vitki do? Watch your words. Don’t engage others who are acting in ways that you find unethical. Get to know a person before you post or blog about them. And most importantly try to remember how the gods would behave. Let them be your yardstick for measuring your behaviors. We could all use a little of that kind of thinking. Not tearing our community apart with the seeds of hatred. Let the changes start with you. Build don’t destroy.

I’m going to tell you one of my big dark secrets. I love Broadway musicals. Okay. I don’t simply love them. They are woven into my daily life. I have discovered over the course of my 50 odd years of living that there indeed is a Broadway show tune for every situation.

My favorite Broadway musical by far is “Annie”. Yeah. I know. But it’s true. As a show it has everything. Orphans. A dog. An evil villain. The richest dude in the planet. And of course my all time favorite song “Tomorrow”. I see you rolling your eyes. But that song has gotten me through some rough times. It is an anthem of optimism and belief. Belief that something better is only a day away. That has become the cornerstone of my life. And of my work as a Vitki.

Optimism and belief play a role in Vitki work in several ways. First you need, at least in my experience, to approach this calling with your head held high and eyes focused forward. There are plenty of nay sayers and doom queens ready to try to pull you down. Having an optimistic outlook can see you through such rough patches. Or suppose you’re having a dry spell where nothing seems to be working or clicking. Optimism is just the key to put things back into their proper perspective. It is a tonic for a weary soul and spirit.

Belief is also vital. Belief that you are in the right path. Belief that you’re able to do such extraordinary things as travel the nine realms. Belief that your magical sendings create a difference in your multiverse. Belief for me is one of the reasons I’m able to be a strong Vitki. I believe I am. And reality follows suit.

So maybe I’m a little bit like Annie. Always certain of myself and the multiverse as well. I’d much rather be that than a overly depressed realist. I see reality differently. And that’s part of being a Vitki.